The Rose that Bloomed
by 1PrincessKiki1
Summary: Sequel to 'Like a Blooming Rose.'Natsume returns from his mission...NXM


**Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice belongs Tachibana Higuchi , NOT ME, but I AM very thankful to her for creating such vivid characters for me to terrorize.**

**_Author's Notes:_** Wow, I'm surprised some of you actually liked 'Like a Blooming Rose'. Well, as a show of a appreciation to those who reviewed consider it's sequel, I felt I left the other one to open ended.The songI usedis You Found Me by Kelly Clarkson.Enjoy!

**The Rose that Bloomed**

* * *

Natsume stared at the girl in his arms, shocked in to silence. He didn't even remember how tired he felt, or the fact that he'd just come back from a dangerous mission. No. The only thing that mattered right now was the crying, but happy, girl in his arms.

_Is this a dream?  
If it is  
Please don't wake me from this high  
I've become comfortably numb  
Until you opened up my eyes  
To what it's like  
When everything's right  
I can't believe_

Slowly, a grin broke over his face and he hugged her back. The words she'd yelled as she lunged herself into his arms still ringing in his ears.

_"I love you too Natsume! I love you too…"_

_You found me  
When no one else was lookin'  
How did you know just where I would be?  
_

The anxiety that had gripped him as he returned to the academy, to the girl who by now would know he loved her, slowly disappeared. His arms tightened around the sniffling girl as he held her closer to him, closer to his heart.

_Yeah, you broke through  
All of my confusion  
The ups and the downs  
And you still didn't leave  
I guess that you saw what nobody could see  
You found me  
You found me_

She'd said yes. She loved him too. Happy tears slipped from his eyes and he laughed softly, joy consuming him.

_So, here we are  
That's pretty far  
When you think of where we've been  
No going back  
I'm fading out  
All that has faded me within  
You're by my side  
Now everything's fine  
I can't believe_

"Natsume?" Mikan whispered, staring up at him with glossy eyes. "I'm glad you confessed." He smiled down at her, gently brushing away her tears.

"I am too."

_You found me  
When no one else was lookin'  
How did you know just where I would be?  
Yeah, you broke through  
All of my confusion  
The ups and the downs  
And you still didn't leave  
I guess that you saw what nobody could see  
You found me  
You found me_

Natsume felt her head fall against his shoulder and leaned his head against hers, his hold on her tightening when she shivered slightly. He hadn't realized just how late it was, it had to be several hours past their curfew.

She'd stayed up, hadn't she? Waiting for him. The thought warmed him.

_And I was hiding  
'Til you came along  
And showed me where I belong  
You found me  
When no one else was lookin'  
How did you know?  
How did you know?_

"Maybe we should go in," he murmured, "its getting cold." Mikan shook her head softly, cuddling closer to him and sighing contently.

"Later….for now, just hold me…"

He smiled warmly and complied.

_You found me  
When no one else was lookin'  
How did you know just where I would be?  
Yeah, you broke through  
All of my confusion  
The ups and the downs  
And you still didn't leave  
I guess that you saw what nobody could see  
You found me_

Natsume stared up at the stars above them, aware that the girl in his arms had drifted to sleep. He felt content, whole, and so very utterly complete. Turning back to face the sleeping girl he brushed away an errant strand of hair, and leaned forward to place a tender kiss on her forehead.

_You found me  
When no one else was lookin'  
You found me  
How did you know just where I would be?  
You broke through  
All of my confusion  
The ups and the downs  
And you still didn't leave  
I guess that you saw what nobody could see  
The good and the bad  
And the things in between  
You found me  
You found me_

His eyes drooped sleepily and he leaned back against the tree that stood next to where they had fallen, Mikan unconsciously curling around him. Glancing back up at the sky he could have sworn he saw a star wink at him, but then again, it could have just been his hazy mind playing tricks on him. Slowly, his eyes fluttered closed and he too drifted of to sleep.

And inside Mikan's room, on the table by her window, stood a vase. A vase that held a rose, a special kind of rose. A rose in full bloom.


End file.
